Tensions have flared between both China and India militaries along their disputed 2,175 mile-long border, with both sides alleging more frequent troop incursions in recent weeks. China is upset when the Indian prime minister recently visit the disputed region. China considers an Indian-occupied piece of it’s own Tibetan Autonomous Region, has added flames to the fire.

China of course already deeply resents the fact that the top Tibetan leader, and several hundred thousand exiled Tibetans, are allowed to reside in India.

India’s Maoist rebels are now present in 20 states and have evolved into a potent and lethal insurgency. In the last four years, the Maoists have killed more than 900 Indian security officers. Indian leaders are now preparing to deploy nearly 70,000 paramilitary officers to hunt down the guerrillas.The Maoists, however, do not want to secede or be absorbed. Their goal is to topple the system.

India’s rapid economic growth has made it an emerging global power but also deepened stark inequalities in society. Maoists accuse the government of trying to push tribal groups off their land to gain access to raw materials and have sabotaged roads, bridges and even an energy pipeline.

India is preparing the military for possible war with China and Pakistan. India and Russia have agreed two military pacts, including a 10-year deal on weapons, aircraft, and maintenance contracts potentially worth at least $5 billion, Indian defense officials said. India plans to spend $30 billion over the next five years to buy modern weapons systems and attack planes.

The agreement will certainly help as Russia needs a market and India needs a strategic reassurance to sort out relations that were going sour. India also wants to use the renewed focus on Russia as a counterweight to China, while a strong presence in South Asia could help Moscow keep an eye on China. India fears China is trying to encircle it as they jostle for resources and global influence.
China is a greater anxiety for Russia in the long run and politically it is desirable for India to strengthen relations with Russia

China has boosted military spending by more than 10 percent annually for almost two decades, and the official figure of $71 billion this year is thought by many analysts to represent only a portion of total defense spending. China announced plans to boost military spending by 14.9 percent this year, maintaining a longtime trend of annual double-digit percentage increases that have stirred concern in Washington and among Beijing's neighbors.

Rising territorial claims by China present India with the threat of two military fronts on its northern borders within five years, Brajesh Mishra, New Delhi's former national security adviser, said yesterday.

Mr Mishra, who advised Atul Behari Vajpayee, former prime minister, and is close to current premier Manmohan Singh, warned of an "unprecedented challenge" of simultaneous fronts with arch-rival Pakistan and with China.

"Over the last two years, the Chinese claims on Arunachal Pradesh have acquired a stridency that was never there before. They are taking every position internationally and otherwise [to say] that Arunachal is not recognised as part of India," Mr Mishra said.

The warning comes as Indian officials express concerns about an internal battle with Maoist rebels and rising domestic security costs, thought to have grown 25 per cent this year.

India and China fought a war over Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing calls south Tibet, in 1962.

A sharp escalation of tensions between Beijing and New Delhi over the region has prompted speculation in India about a Chinese attack along the 4,000km border, and prompted India to boost its defences there.

This year Beijing objected to the Asian Development Bank's strategy for India, which included lending money for projects in Arunachal Pradesh. New Delhi has also sparred with Beijing over China's visa policy towards residents of Kashmir, which it has interpreted as a challenge to its sovereignty.

Mr Mishra said India had to strengthen its military as, "within the next five years, given the change of attitude in China, two [military] fronts will now be active simultaneously".

The former intelligence chief also highlighted concerns about China's rising military assistance to Pakistan which, in spite of fighting Taliban militants on the Afghanistan border, was still occupied with its bitter hostility towards India.

"China is supporting Pakistan and especially the Pakistan military," Mr Mishra said. "China's help to Pakistan military is a very important factor in aiding and abetting its designs on India."

He also said US financial support for Pakistan's army had caused an "adverse impact on India".

Well, China is also preparing for a potential regional conflict with US. Both China and India got well founded reasons to increase military spending. I heard China will double its induction budget of military hardware next year, perhaps 20% change of the 70b budget in 2009. Hope India do the same and we may indeed get some fun with this arms race.

So you think you can take on USA spending 10% of what USA spends? Indian military spending will be closing the gap with China in the next few years; by the way the much larger military spending by China didn't impress the Vietnamese when they handed you a humiliating defeat.

Well, China is also preparing for a potential regional conflict with US. Both China and India got well founded reasons to increase military spending. I heard China will double its induction budget of military hardware next year, perhaps 20% change of the 70b budget in 2009. Hope India do the same and we may indeed get some fun with this arms race.

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Yes, with the launch of the 100 billion dollar capital investment plan over the 2007-12 period with the objective of upgrading the older defense equipment, the final coming to fruition of indigenous products like the Arjun and the Arihaant nuke submarine, the 34.12% increase in budgetary allocation year-on-year, and the 100% liberalization of defense industry participation to domestic private players like Larsen&Toubro, Mahindras and Godrej, should make for one helluva race....

A missle worth $1 million deployed in Tibet plateau will cost india $10 million to counter it.

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Thanks to you, we are developing our overall military might which will make you dream about taking any of OUR land that you claim yours. Whats more, its giving us a global status in the overall scheme of things.

By the way, you ICBM cost is just $1 million? And you said thats the cost of the entire deployment in Tibet. What have you deployed? 15 century gunpowder rockets?

It's not a bad thing that China and India start to upgrade their military mights more vigorously, be it a competition or arms race. Both US and Russia will be happy to boost Indian military demand by supplying cutting edge toys. Given sometime one of these two will be bogged down due to economic reasons. It won't be China, I hope.

Since 1947, India has not fully pledged itself to any camp or global pole during the Cold War and as a result was a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement (N.A.M.). Since the post-Cold War era that position has eroded. New Delhi has been gradually moving away from its traditional position, relationships, and policies in the international arena for over a decade. Now, once again, India has been vied for as an ally in the “Great Game” that is underway, placing her in the pivotal position which is examined in this article.

24 October 2009

From
Montreal (Canada)

Themes
PaCom: Control of Asia and Oceania

This round of the “Great Game” is being played under a far broader spectrum than the one played between Britain and Czarist Russia. In question is the Indian power relationship with two geo-political entities: the first is the “Periphery” and the second is “Eurasia.”

The Periphery and Eurasia: Vying for India on a Geo-Strategic Chessboard

Physical geography alone does not form or carve or determine geographic entities. The activity of people also is of critical importance to this process. Geographic units, from blocs and countries to regions, must be understood as a product of people interacting in socio-economic and political terms. The geographic entities that are subject herein are social constructions. In this conceptual context, Eurasia itself can be defined as a geo-political player and entity.

In a physical sense, Eurasia as a geographic landmass and spatial entity is neutral, just as are other geographic regions or units, and carries no meaning or value(s). Eurasia in socio-political terms as an active player, however, is altogether different. Herein, it is this active and politically organized Eurasia that is a product of the anti-hegemonic cooperation of Russia, China, and Iran against the status quo global order of the Periphery that is the Eurasia being addressed.

There is only one country that wold have direct interest in conflict between India and China and that country is USA....

India an China have only to LOSE which ever way war ends both sides will be losers by wasting precious time and resources giving possibility to USA to REestablish it self as absolute master like before...........

"india and china can go for war"---why this type of news items r coming only from west strategic thinkers and the media outlets of west and the one which r owned by west like times of india and cnn ibn.even in indian media we have two groups--one who safeguard western interests in india for example---TOI,CNN IBN and other group is one that bats for chinese interest in india like The hindu and NDTV.Isnt there any media outlet which bats for indian interests.India going to war with china will serve only western purpose and they sure want this war to happen as this will have huge impact on ind-china economy which will be beneficial to west in present economic slowdown.only china and india r the countries whose economies are not hit by slowdown instead they r expanding.so west is pandering both ind-china to go to war through there media agents.

"india and china can go for war"---why this type of news items r coming only from west strategic thinkers and the media outlets of west and the one which r owned by west like times of india and cnn ibn.even in indian media we have two groups--one who safeguard western interests in india for example---TOI,CNN IBN and other group is one that bats for chinese interest in india like The hindu and NDTV.Isnt there any media outlet which bats for indian interests.India going to war with china will serve only western purpose and they sure want this war to happen as this will have huge impact on ind-china economy which will be beneficial to west in present economic slowdown.only china and india r the countries whose economies are not hit by slowdown instead they r expanding.so west is pandering both ind-china to go to war through there media agents.

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Cool comments. I guess the elite class of Indians talk more like a Donald Duck, and the others are the Hindu.

here's a clue. The last time there was an arms race, a communist country broke up and lost the race.

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The problem is ... China is not communist country (at least Chinese economy isn't communist)
so both sides might be exhausted !

There is price for every victory .... and when price is to high - there is not much difference between victory and total defeat.

Your madness for war is last hope for Western world to stay on the top... and you would give them that present for free??!
War would ruin your future for sake of passing pleasure to destroy...
What you refuse to see is fact of MUTUAL destruction that will ruin you lives.

I have lived in such sucker country where we destroyed our lives for interests of USA and others...

"india and china can go for war"---why this type of news items r coming only from west strategic thinkers and the media outlets of west and the one which r owned by west like times of india and cnn ibn.even in indian media we have two groups--one who safeguard western interests in india for example---TOI,CNN IBN and other group is one that bats for chinese interest in india like The hindu and NDTV.Isnt there any media outlet which bats for indian interests.India going to war with china will serve only western purpose and they sure want this war to happen as this will have huge impact on ind-china economy which will be beneficial to west in present economic slowdown.only china and india r the countries whose economies are not hit by slowdown instead they r expanding.so west is pandering both ind-china to go to war through there media agents.

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Ajtr......Your premise is entirely WRONG !!!. These kind articles and views are not based on your so called "Western interests". Western countries have reached a maturity level where they dont see everything as "black and white" nor as a "zero-sum game". And for god's sake - "go to war through the media agents".....thats just infantile !!

Countries like the US and the West need the growing economies of huge countries like India and China to buy their expensive high tech products. Who do you think is going to be buying most of the Airbuses and Boeing aircraft and Jet engines, fighters, ships, nuclear power plants, etc in the future. It will be Asian consumer demand that drives the market for the West. It is not in the interest of the West to see 2 major Asian powers engaged in a full-blown war. It will also kill the global economy.

Coming back to your question - The reason these articles about a China-India conflict keep coming up is because of the moves that China has made in the past 40 years with regards to India.

Is it not reasonable to for any journalist of international affairs to ask why a Country like China is so interested in building a naval presence in the Indian Ocean. Has India ever threatened any country shipping commerce in the India Ocean at any time. The simple answer is NO.

But yet the Chinese are trying to build ports in Sri-Lanka, Pakistan, Maldives, and even Myanmar if they get a chance.

Why are the Chinese raking up Arunachal Pradesh issue. Better yet why are the Chinese basing missiles in Tibet ???

Why has China supported a rogue Pakistan for 50 years......the last time I checked these 2 people have squat in common except that they both hate India.

The reason you see all these articles is because many people are wondering the same thing ?? For 50 years, Pakistan was China's proxy against India....it was death and distraction by a thousand cuts inflicted by Pak. Now suddenly the Pak boys are too busy with the blowback from 40 years of Jihadi culture.
Not only has the shit hit the Pak fan - it is now all over their face !!

The Chinaman now does not have anyone to do his dirty work for him anymore. The Proxies are finally begining to realize that there is a price for being a proxy. Now the Chinaman has to do the dirty work himself.....this means a more aggressive China and thats why you see all these articles.

Is it not reasonable to for any journalist of international affairs to ask why a Country like China is so interested in building a naval presence in the Indian Ocean. Has India ever threatened any country shipping commerce in the India Ocean at any time. The simple answer is NO.

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Has India ever threatened China shipping commerce in the India Ocean at any time? The simple answer is NO.

Has USA ever threatened China shipping commerce in the India Ocean at any time? The simple answer is YES.
So India is not the target of the naval development of China, USA is.

The westerners are aware of that, but articles like that still pop up from time to time. Because they want to incite the confrontation between China and India, which certainly will weaken both China and India. A powerful China and a powerful India are not in the interestes of the westerners, a weak China and a weak Inida are.